Wednesday

Former PDP National Secretary, Ojo Madueke dies at 71, Elechi Amadi dies at 82, Lagos government shuts down 70 churches, 20 mosques, 11 hotels and other major headlines you missed today!

Dear kfbers, We trust you had a wonderful Wednesday!
Just before you go to bed, here are the major political and metro stories you missed today

Former PDP National Secretary, Ojo Madueke dies at 71

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and one time Minister of Transportation, Ojo Maduekwe, who was also former PDP National Secretary is dead. Ojo Madueke died today June 29th.
He was aged 71. He was appointed Foreign Minister of Nigeria on July 26, 2007 by President Umaru Yar’Adua and was made Minister of Transport by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2001.

...........And Elechi Amadi died at 82

Another sad death was recorded in Nigeria today! Elechi Amadi is dead! The Educationist, novelist, and dramatist, and author of the ever green novel 'The Concubine' Elechi Amadi passed away this afternoon at a hospital in Port Harcourt. He was 82.
He was born on 12 May, 1934 in Aluu community, Ikwerre local government area of River state. The River state government have released a statement mourning his passing. The late literary icon was among the first generation of African writers and novelists. Some of his works include The Concubine (1966), The Great Ponds (1969), and The Slave (1978).

Lagos government shuts down 70 churches, 20 mosques, 11 hotels over Noise pollutionThe management of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), has shut down 70
churches and 20 mosques in the state over noise pollution. Bola Shani, the general manager of the agency made this known in an interview with newsmen in Lagos today June 29th.
“Precisely about 70 churches, 20 mosques and about 11 hotels, club houses and beer parlours were shut and we’ve given them some directives to follow. We’ve been so strict now that we are not going to even allow make-shift churches in the state any longer. What I mean by make-shift, using tents and uncompleted building, we are not going to allow that any further in the state.
But I will strongly tell you that the level of compliance is more on the mosque area, because immediately you shut them, they instantly bring down their speakers or reduce the noise they make.’’ Shabi says the plan of the state government is to reduce noise pollution in the state to about zero per cent by the year 2020. “As at today, we are only able to reduce the noise level to about 35 per cent. That is not a pass mark yet. So, until we reach that target of 70 to 80 per cent, we will continue the enforcement.‎ Enforcement is a continuous exercise and we have set a target for ourselves. We want to ensure that Lagos is noise-free by the year 2020. With our status as a mega city, by year 2020 we will be free of noise,’’ he said.

Kidnappers release Nigerian ‘anti-corruption’ musician
A popular musician in the North East, who was kidnapped days after releasing a scathing anti-graft song, was freed on Wednesday, he told AFP.
Ado Dahiru Daukaka went missing in the Adamawa state capital of Yola after he left his house early Friday to offer dawn prayers at a mosque.
Daukaka was discovered weak and famished early on Wednesday some 80 kilometres (50 miles) from his house in Lamurde village.
The singer said he believed his abduction was in connection with his new song that accuses politicians from President Muhammadu Buhari’s ruling party of corruption and predicts that they will be voted out of power in the 2019 election.
The song “Gyara Kayanka”, or “Put your house in order” in the local Hausa language, accuses local lawmakers of being selfish and corrupt.
“They asked me why I sniff around other people’s affairs which clearly shows that my kidnap had to do with my work as a singer,” Daukaka said to AFP, speaking from a hospital in Lamurde.
“I was never physically harmed by my captors but I was quite traumatised by being abducted and held captive,” he said.
The family of the singer said he was a political target.
“It is obvious his disappearance is an abduction by some interests who are infuriated by his latest song which exposed corruption among legislators at the state house of assembly,” Daukaka’s relative Atiku Mustapha told AFP.
“We believe they abducted him as a warning to other critics like him. They just want to muzzle critics,” Mustapha said.

EFCC docks ex-Adamawa gov, Fintiri, today over alleged N1.9bn fraud

Many weeks after being detained and grilled extensively on what he did with the sum of N1.9 billion of state funds, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will today formally dock the former Adamawa Governor, Umaru Fintiri.

The former governor, who is accused of diverting the huge sum meant for road construction and other projects, will be arraigned before Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja for theft, breach of public trust and money laundering, among others by the anti-graft agency.

Fintiri was drafted into office in acting capacity following the illegal impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako, which was recently quashed by a Federal High Court, which described the removal of the governor as a nullity.

An EFCC official confirmed to Vanguard last night that the commission had established sufficient evidence of money laundering against the former acting governor and had decided to arraign him. The former Adamawa speaker, who was taken into custody by operatives about a month ago but freed on health grounds, has been unable to convince his interrogators how the state funds ended up in a company believed to be his.

Fintiri, who spent over 83 days in office, is accused of having made away with the huge sum of money using fraudulent tactics, including two phantom road projects-Yola township road and Mararaba Garta.

ASUU kicks against FG’s scrapping of Post-UTME
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, on Wednesday, kicked against the Federal Government’s directive for tertiary institutions to scrap the Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, Post-UTME, for admission of candidates for the 2016/2017 academic session, saying the quality of tertiary education in the country could improve if the institutions are allowed to regulate their students admission process.
ASUU President, Comrade Biodun Ogunyemi, said such freedom would enhance the quality of education.
Recall that at a recent joint policy meeting to decide the cut off mark for students seeking admission into the universities, the government announced the scrapping of post-unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME).
The Post UTME is the second stage of screening usually conducted by universities for the final selection of candidates qualified for admission for an academic session.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu had threatened to sanction any university or tertiary institution found conducting examinations under any guise to admit students.
He further directed tertiary institutions that had collected money from candidates for such purposes to immediately refund it or face appropriate sanctions.
The ASUU boss told NAN that such directive encroached on the autonomy of the institutions.
“I think government should give these institutions the chance to regulate themselves,” he said.
“They should decide for themselves, the process they dim fit to admit their students. The Senate of universities for example, should decide on the process they want to use in selecting candidates.
“We do not think it’s right for government to decide the method of screening of the candidates, indeed, we want to attain some level of sanity and quality in the system.”
The unionist added that government could only come into the process by putting in place the necessary guidelines as part of their oversight functions.

10 Lagos teachers bag UK Masters degree

Ten teachers from public schools in Lagos State have obtained Masters Degree certificate in various courses from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, through an on-line programme which started in 2011 and sponsored by the Commonwealth of Nations.
Speaking at the presentation of certificates to the recipients by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi, the CEO, Corona Schools Trust Council, Mrs. Olufunsho Igun, disclosed that three of the scholars passed with merit, six had credit while the last scholar who is physically challenged is yet to obtain his certificate due to the nature of his course module which is yet to be completed. She added that 15 more are on the second batch and are expected to form the last batch for Nigeria as the Commonwealth has moved to Kenya.
Commending the Corona Schools Trust Fund Council for their worthy course and support, the Permanent Secretary, Odeyemi, implored the recipients to impact their students and colleagues with their acquired knowledge.

Court grants ex-Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosun N500million bail

Former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, who is accused of being involved in a N21 billion fraud while he was office, was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos today and was granted N500 million bail. Amosu was arraigned alongside Jacob Adigun, an Air Vice Marshal, and Gbadebo Olugbenga, an Air Commodore on a 26-count of stealing about N50 billion.
They pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The judge afterwards granted them bail in the sum of N500 million each.
Modupe Ozolua shares amazing transformation photo of a once severely malnourished baby rescued from Boko Haram

Aawwww, Rest in peace Pa Elechi Amadi! Educationist, novelist, and dramatist, and author of the ever green novel 'The Concubine'. The Concubine, what an interesting novel! A distinct work of art! @Kemisola Filani, thanks a bunch for sharing.